2003 HONDA S2000 engine

Insert it all the way back in its tube. Remove the dipstick again andcheck the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page . Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to on page f or inf ormation
on checking other items in your
Honda.
3.
4.
161 159165
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
A dding Oil
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Engine Coolant Check
124
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
DIPSTICK
RESERVE TANK
MAX MIN

You can improve f uel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
A cold engine uses more f uel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
‘‘warm-up’’ a cold engine by letting it
idle f or a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up f aster, and you get
better f uel economy. To cut down on
the number of ‘‘cold starts,’’ try tocombine several short trips into one.
The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
Depending on traf f ic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra f uel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase f uel economy.The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cto
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the f low-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car’s underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your f uel mileage and reduces
thechanceof corrosion. An important part of that mainte-
nance is the (see page ). For
example, an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. It also wears out
f aster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly. 159 Driving Habits
Car Condition
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Bef ore Driving
Fuel Economy
125

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual transmission. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your car, and the braking system.........................
Preparing to Drive .134
.......................
Starting the Engine .135
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .136
....
6-speed Manual Transmission . 137
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 138
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 138
.......................
Reverse Lockout .138
...........................................
Parking .139
.....................
The Braking System .140
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 140
...............
Brake System Design . 141
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .141
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .142
........................
ABS Indicator .143
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 144
...........................
Towing a Trailer .145
Driving
Driving133

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely.
Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passenger has f astened his or
her seat belt (see page ).
Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
Start the engine (see page ).
Check the gauges and indicator
lights in the instrument panel (see
page ).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your car.
Check that the hood and trunk are
f ully closed. Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
1.
2.
3. 4.
5.
6.
7.8.
9.
10.
11. 15
69
80 45135
Driving
Preparing to Drive
134

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. The ENGINE START button
has no ef f ect unless the clutch
pedal is depressed.
Turn the ignition key to ON (II)
position.Without touching the accelerator
pedal, push the ENGINE START
button. If the engine does not start
right away, do not hold the
ENGINE START button f or more
than 15 seconds at a time. Pause
f or at least 10 seconds bef ore
trying again.If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while
starting in order to clear f looding.
As before, hold the ENGINE
START button f or no more than
15 seconds. Return to step 6 if the
engine does not start. If it starts,
lif t your f oot of f the accelerator
pedal so the engine does not race. If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 5 with the
accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.6.
7.
Driving
Starting the Engine
135
ENGINE START BUTTON

An engine is harder to start in cold
weather. The thinner air f ound at
high altitude above 8,000 f eet
(2,400 meters) adds to the problem.Use the f ollowing procedure:
Turn of f all electrical accessories
to reduce the drain on the battery.
Push the accelerator pedal half-
way to the f loor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do not
hold the ENGINE START button
formorethan15seconds.When
the engine starts, release the
accelerator pedal gradually as the
engine speeds up and smooths out.
If the engine fails to start in step 2,
push the accelerator pedal to the
f loor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the engine
does not start, return to step 2.
1.
2.
3.
Starting the Engine
Driving
Starting in Cold Weather at High
A ltitude (A bove 8,000 f eet/
2,400 meters)
136

The manual transmission is synchro-
nizedinallforwardgearsforsmooth
operation. It has a lockout so you
cannot shift directly from Fifth to
Reverse instead of Sixth (see page). When shif ting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch pedal
down all the way, shift to the next
gear, and let the pedal up gradually.
When you are not shif ting, do not
rest your f oot on the clutch pedal.
This can cause your clutch to wear
out f aster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
Reverse with the car moving. Push
down the clutch pedal, and pause f or
a f ew seconds bef ore shif ting into
Reverse, or shif t into one of the
f orward gears f or a moment. This
stops the gears so they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear.
138
Driving
6-speed Manual T ransmission
137
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.

Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
f uel economy and ef f ective emis-
sions control. The f ollowing shif t
points are recommended:Shif t Up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th
5th to 6th Normal Acceleration
15 mph (24 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
40 mph (64 km/h)
47 mph (75 km/h)
52 mph (83 km/h) If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.
With the clutch pedal depressed,
move the shift lever to the Reverse
side of the Neutral gate. Then push
the shif t lever down and shif t to
Reverse. The 6-speed manual transmission
has a lockout so you cannot
accidentally shif t f rom Fif th to
Reverse instead of Sixth.
Recommended Shif t Points Engine Speed L imiter
Reverse L ockout
6-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving138